Why the PC remains key to our digitial lives

At a recent press conference from a well-known technology firm, its CEO declared the days of the PC being the centre of our digital lives were over. I disagree - strongly.

His argument was that post-PC devices, such as tablets and smartphones, have emerged, rendering the desktop and laptop largely obsolete as the central device in our lives. Now, I'm a big fan of tablets, I'm an early adopter, but it certainly does not replace the PC.

I'm writing this blog on a laptop with a laptop powered by an Intel i7 processor. There's no doubt that from a text editing point of view I could have fired up the tablet. But when I write I tend to be doing much more than just writing.

I'm editing photos for the blogpost - often large files - I'm watching video in HD that I want to embed in the piece. I've also got more than 20 tabs open right now in my browser, as well as running Tweetdeck in the background, with lots and lots of saved searches.

I've also got a TV programme cued about half way in where I left it last night and when I finished this I'll just click and continue watching. I've also got Spotify running, listening to music as I type.

Arguably I could do all those things on a tablet - but the experience wouldn't be pleasant. There's also the simplicity in switching between windows and apps on my laptop that the processor handles with ease.

And if we take that into the business realm, the issues and differences are perhaps even more pronounced. Professional productivity software, such as Excel, with potentially tens of thousands of data points, are simply not suited to tablets. Not when you're creating detailed pivot tables from complex data sheets.

Here's a great demo on the different a 2nd generation Core processor can make to your everyday computing experience.

Intel technology such as Tubo Boost 2.0 lets your computer draw on the full power of the Core processor when it needs it, powering down slightly for more mundane tasks. And with Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) allowing each core to work on two tasks simultaneously, it means that when your computing needs are at their most demanding, the power is there in that moment.

With hardware-assisted Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) you get fast and secure data encryption and decryption as standard. And Intel's vPro technology brings you the intelligence of hardware-assisted manageability features.

vPro means you can remotely configure, diagnose, isolate, and repair an infected PC—even if it’s unresponsive. You can centrally schedule diagnostic events to run locally on PCs, even if powered down or disconnected. Intel's Anti-Theft Technology 3.0 also gives you the security and peace of mind for your mobile workforce

That kind of power and flexibilty does not come as standard on post-PC device. And it's for these reasons I'll be sticking with my PC for some time yet.